Jaime Bennington, the son of late Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington, has spoken out against the musical group’s founder Mike Shinoda placing singer Emily Armstrong in the band.
Jaime, 28, said that he found problematic Armstrong’s ties with Scientology, and past support of actor Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison.
‘People aren’t having a difficult time wrapping their heads around the prospect of Linkin Park reinventing itself,’ Jaime said Sunday, according to Page Six.
He added: ‘They’re having a hard time wrapping their head around how you: 1). hired your friend of many years @emilyarmstrong to replace [Chester].’
Jaime Bennington, 28, the son of late Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington, has spoken out against the musical group’s founder Mike Shinoda, 47, placing singer Emily Armstrong, 38, in the band
Shinoda and Armstrong pictured onstage in LA earlier this month
Jaime said that the musical group ‘has refused to acknowledge the impact of hiring someone like Emily,’ who has since said that she ‘misjudged’ the Masterson situation and believed she had been ‘supporting a friend.’
Jaime said that that Shinoda, 47, mistimed the announcement of Armstrong joining the band in September, which is Suicide Prevention Month.
Read More
Linkin Park's new singer breaks silence after connections to rapist Danny Masterson are revealed
Jaime said Shinoda and his associates ‘quietly erased [his] father’s life and legacy in real time’ and had ‘betrayed the trust loaned to you by decades of fans and supporting human beings including myself.’
He added, ‘We trusted you to be the bigger better person … because you promised us that was your intention. Now you’re just senile and tone deaf. Insane.’
Armstrong, who once fronted the group Dead Sara, said on Instagram Stories Sunday said that she ‘shouldn’t have’ supported Masterson by attending one of his court hearings.
‘I always try to see the good in people and I misjudged him,’ she said. ‘I have never spoken with him since.
‘Unimaginable details emerged as he was later found guilty. To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victims of these crimes.’
The band on Thursday revealed they were reforming with Armstrong in the lead vocalist spot, with Colin Brittain replacing Rob Bourdon as drummer, saying the latter ‘decided to step away’ from the group, the AP reported.
Chester Bennington – who died via suicide at the age of 41 on July 20, 2017 – was pictured in NYC on February 21, 2017
Jaime said Shinoda and his associates ‘quietly erased [his] father’s life and legacy in real time’ and had ‘betrayed the trust loaned to you by decades of fans and supporting human beings including myself’
The group recently put out a track titled The Emptiness Machine, which is from their upcoming album Zero, set to come out November 15
Armstrong, who once fronted the group Dead Sara, said on Instagram Stories Sunday said that she ‘shouldn’t have’ supported Masterson by attending one of his court hearings
The group recently put out a track titled The Emptiness Machine, which is from their upcoming album Zero, set to come out November 15.
Linkin Park achieved huge commercial and critical success beginning in the early 2000s with hits such as One Step Closer, In the End and Crawling, the latter of which earned the band a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2002.
The band would go on to capture another Grammy in 2006 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Numb/Encore, a collaboration with Jay-Z.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text ‘988’ to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to 988lifeline.org.